Grants, Adoption, & the VCU Dog

I haven't posted in a few days because i have been consumed with the title of this blog.

1. I am the Coordinator for the Walworth Co. Literacy Council. The Council is implementing a Jail Literacy Program in the Walworth Co. Jail. As a Public-Defender@Heart I am thrilled about this initiative. When I was practicing law, I often thought/said, "I am so frustrated because I wish I could do more to actually HELP my clients". Well, it is interesting how things have a way of coming full circle. The Jail Literacy Program is going to have tangible benefits to so many people who need it so badly. This summer, we hope to start 2 classes in the jail: one for English as a 2nd Language, and the other is Adult Literacy (reading/writing/grammar for native-English speakers). I am writing the grant in order to have financial backing for the jail program. This is the first grant I have ever written. The writing is very technical, and kind of reminds me of the grueling legal briefs I once wrote. It is a work-in-progress, and has consumed much of this week and will no doubt be a weekend project... All this leg work will hopefully be the helping hand for some people who need a lift...

2. The last few days (and weeks and months) I have been busy with the adoption documents. What continues to amaze me is how the people that we encounter in the adoption process seem to balance each other out along the way. What I mean is this: for every one person that aggravates and complicates the process, there is another who comes along and demonstrates so much compassion and kindness. I truly believe in "random acts of kindness"--they have a way of spinning the world to a different beat. At any rate, my example of the ebbs and flows of the adoption process is pretty simple. This week I tried to find a psycholgist to conduct a psychological examination for us and write a report for Peru. (this is a Peruvian requirement, but was not a Guatemalan requirement) I spent hours on the phone trying to find someone, ANYONE who would even talk to me on the phone about this. I received a few laughs-in-my-face/ear, a few flat-out "NO's", and a few "Sorry, we don't do that here and i don't know who can help you." Finally, I connected with an incredibly kind psychologist who empathized with our situation (as he once contemplated a Peruvian adoption himself) and who is going to do what he can to make the process less painful. In a simple word, he was kind. Random acts of kindness do go a long way.... One phone call made up for the hours of rejections we received from others.

3. Finally, this week has been consumed with the VCU dog. Uncle Andy (VCU Strength & Conditioning Coach) gave Marcella a lanky & lovely VCU dog/stuffed animal for Christmas. It was showcased in her room since then, but for some reason, this week she just fell in love with the VCU dog. It doesn't leave her side. We have gone to the YMCA, the Post Office, the Police Station, and the library with the VCU dog at our side. Marcella shares her milk and food with him. She does the sign language to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" with the VCU dog. And we even did a rendition of Ring-Around-the-Rosie, with both of us holding a VCU dog paw and dancing around in a circle. I hope that this is all good Karma for the VCU Men's Basketball Team in the Bracketbuster, as they take on Akron at 10 a.m. Saturday (2/23) morning on ESPN 2. Go VCU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weddings & Birthdays Galore

Friday night, the whole Kutschma family celebrated Baba's 88th birthday. Luba (George's mom) made a delicious meal of Jamon del Pais (A pork roast that is stuffed with tons of garlic, then slow roasted all day). After it is done cooking, it is eaten as a sandwich, and topped with au jus and a crisp onion salad. It is absolutely delicious. Luba also made "Ceviche", which is a Latin American dish consisting of raw seafood that is 'cooked' only by the powers of lemon juice. There is no heat involved, in fact ceviche is served best when it is ice cold. The seafood is accompanied by a ton of onions & cilantro & juices, with chunks of sweet potato & corn-on-the-cob on the side! George's aunt Maria made "Halupki", which are basically cabbage rolls. Mmmmm. Dessert was a cheesecake, and a Cold Stone Creamery birthday cake (although Baba is not a dessert person, she enjoyed blowing out her candles with the help of Forrest & Marcella). And, of course, there were many celebratory 'shots' of brandy for Baba's 88 years and for many more to come!!!

Saturday, we headed up to the Mequon/Cedarburg area for wedding planning. Mom & Dad also came down to join in the festivities. We went to visit the wedding & reception sites, which was kind of interesting because they were covered in about 2 feet of snow! Even so, we were able to visualize how awesome (and warm!) it will be in September. We also gained a few pounds by taste-testing some delectable dessert options, and had fun exploring some funky paper/invite shops in the 3rd Ward in Milwaukee ~~The countdown is on until the big day: 6 months & 19 days~~

Oh, Sugar, Sugar...

On Valentine's Day, we had an impromptu little cookie baking party with our friends. We had alot of fun, eating & decorating, decorating & eating.... The cookies were slightly addictive, and, as the potato chip ad goes, you can't eat just ONE!!!

Marcella had fun playing with her friends Makoto and Keller, who were equally impressed with the copious amounts of sugar that seemingly flowed from every nook & cranny in our kitchen.... (Pictured above is Ayako with her 14 month old son, Makoto)

Ayako's mom decorated these cookies with Japanese characters,,,I believe the translation is something to the effect of "EAT COOKIE & LIVE LONG, HAPPY LIFE!!!"

Plum Wine

This was such a cooooool gift, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to include it on my blog...


My friend Ayako's mother is visiting from Japan for 2 weeks. Her name is Kimi. She was so kind to bring me a gift, and what an APPROPRIATE, USEFUL & INNOVATIVE one it was! Kimi found out that I love Plum Wine, a Japanese specialty. Kimi brought me this special crystal carafe all the way from Japan.



Plum Wine is best when it is COLD. I have always had this dilemma: when we buy plum wine at the store, it is room temperature, and I don't want to wait the 2 hours it will take to chill it,,,,, so I usually add ice cubes right to my glass and then it is diluted, and it just never really gets the chance to live up to its potential.



Soooo, the really unique thing about the carafe from Japan is that it has two openings. The opening on top is where you pour the wine into...The opening on the front is where you insert the ice cubes.... The wine and ice cubes are in separate little compartments inside the carafe. So, the wine chills without being watered down. GENIUS!!!! Why didn't I think of this????
ARIGATOU KIMI!!!!!!!!!

Up North

Marcella & I spent a few days up north while George was in Florida for work. We had a good time,,,played alot, ate alot, and had fun with family & friends. Here are a few pictures from our northwoods get-away.

At right, Marcella visiting Grandma's 3rd grade classroom at Stratford Elementary. Marcella loved the rendition of "Ring Around the Rosie" that the entire class did with her. She was in 7th heaven.

Nana & "Little Marcy"...

Papa Lynn constructed the coolest cardboard tunnel for Marcella, out of a hot water heater box... It even contained a skylight and custom made door frames complete with thick tape so as to avoid cardboard-cuts. Those grandpas!!!!

Amy Winehouse

Perhaps it is the true Public Defender in me coming out, but I REALLY like Amy Winehouse's music....

Up until this past weekend, I didn't know too much about her, except for the bad press I would read in the paper virtually every single morning. Then, on the radio on our way up north, I actually heard her music for the 1st time (instead of just reading about her most recent arrest). I was jamming out as we headed north on I-90. Then, the infamous Grammy awards happened on Sunday night (i'm not typically a grammy-watcher, but it happened to be on tv while we were up north...). Since then, i've been hooked and REHAB keeps running through my head! ...And I said "no-no-no...."

Granted, she has some major major major problems, but dang, her voice is amazing....it has a smoky, funky, bluesy edge to it.

Here's my Closing Argument, going back to my recent Public Defender days... If you've never actually heard her music, check her out on youtube. Look past the tatoos, the seemingly drug-induced dance moves, the daze in her eyes, the beehive,,,,,and just really LISTEN to her sing. I think she deserves each and every one of those 5 grammy's. Hopefully they will be motivation for her to get the help that she probably does really need....

Pucker Up

As mom & I were frantically getting Marcella ready for her first professional picture session today, we "somehow" missed her going into a drawer to find some dark burgundy lipstick, which she applied, showcasing her budding artistic talents.